Daniel 6

Daniel and the Lions’ Den

1It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom a120 bsatraps, to be throughout the whole kingdom; 2and over them cthree high officials, of whom Daniel was one, to whom these dsatraps should give account, so that the king might suffer no loss. 3Then this Daniel became edistinguished above all fthe other high officials and gsatraps, because han excellent spirit was in him. And the king planned ito set him over the whole kingdom. 4Then jthe high officials and kthe satraps lsought to find a ground for complaint against Daniel with regard to the kingdom, mbut they could find no ground for complaint or any fault, because he was faithful, nand no error or fault was found in him. 5Then these men said, “We shall not find any ground for complaint against this Daniel unless we find it in connection with the law of his God.”

6Then these ohigh officials and psatraps came by agreement
Or  came thronging; also verses 11, 15
to the king and said to him, “O rKing Darius, live forever!
7All the shigh officials of the kingdom, the prefects and the satraps, the tcounselors and the governors are agreed that the king should establish an ordinance and enforce an uinjunction, that whoever makes petition to any god or man for thirty days, except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions. 8Now, O king, establish vthe injunction and sign the document, so that it cannot be changed, according to wthe law of xthe Medes and the Persians, ywhich cannot be revoked.” 9Therefore King Darius signed the document and zinjunction.

10When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where aahe had windows in his upper chamber open abtoward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees acthree times a day and prayed and adgave thanks before his God, as he had done previously. 11Then these men came by agreement and found Daniel making petition and plea before his God. 12Then they aecame near and said before the king, concerning the injunction, “O king! Did you not sign afan injunction, that anyone who makes petition to any god or man within thirty days except to you, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions?” The king answered and said, “The thing stands fast, according to the law of agthe Medes and Persians, ahwhich cannot be revoked.” 13Then they answered and said before the king, aiDaniel, who is one ajof the exiles akfrom Judah, alpays no attention to you, O king, or amthe injunction you have signed, but makes his petition anthree times a day.”

14Then aothe king, when he heard these words, apwas much distressed and set his mind to deliver Daniel. And he labored till the sun went down to rescue him. 15Then these men came by agreement to the king and said to the king, “Know, O king, that it is a law of the Medes and Persians that no aqinjunction or ordinance that the king establishes can be changed.”

16Then the king commanded, and Daniel was brought and cast into the den of lions. The king declared
Aramaic answered and said; also verse 20
to Daniel, “May asyour God, whom you serve continually, deliver you!”
17 atAnd a stone was brought and laid on the mouth of the den, auand the king sealed it avwith his own signet and with the signet of his awlords, that nothing might be changed concerning Daniel. 18Then the king went to his palace and spent the night fasting; axno diversions were brought to him, and aysleep fled from him.

19Then, at break of day, the king arose and went in haste to the den of lions. 20As he came near to the den where Daniel was, he cried out in a tone of anguish. The king declared to Daniel, “O Daniel, servant of azthe living God, bahas your God, whom you serve continually, bbbeen able to deliver you from the lions?” 21Then Daniel said to the king, bc“O king, live forever! 22My God bdsent his angel beand shut the lionsmouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless bfbefore him; bgand also before you, O king, I have done no harm.” 23Then the king was exceedingly glad, and commanded that Daniel be taken up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and bhno kind of harm was found on him, because he had trusted in his God. 24And the king commanded, and bithose men who had maliciously accused Daniel were brought and cast into the den of lionsthey, their children, and their wives. And before they reached the bottom of the den, the lions overpowered them and broke all their bones in pieces.

25Then King Darius wrote to all bjthe peoples, nations, and languages bkthat dwell in all the earth: blPeace be multiplied to you. 26 bmI make a decree, that in all my royal dominion bnpeople are to tremble and fear before the God of Daniel,

for bohe is bpthe living God,
enduring forever;
his kingdom shall never be destroyed,
bqand his dominion shall be brto the end.
27He delivers and rescues;
he works bssigns and wonders
in heaven and on earth,
he who has btsaved Daniel
from the power of the lions.”
28So this Daniel prospered during the reign of Darius and buthe reign of bvCyrus the Persian.

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